Locking means for index cards and the like



July 24, 1928. 1,678,357

E. SAMPSON, SR

LOCKING MEANS FOR INDEX CARDS AND THE LIKE- Filed Jan. 27, 1926 @MJWmA/ZZ Patented July 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,678,357 PATENT OFFECE.

ERICK SAMPSON, SR., OF JAIVIESTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB 7T0 ART METALCON- STRUCTION COMPANY, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK.

LOCKING MEANS For. INDEX canes AND THE LIKE.

Application filed January 27, 1926.

This invention relates to improvements in locking means for the lockingrods of card index drawers or holders of that kind in which the cardsare locked or retained in the drawer orholder by a rod passinglengthwise of the drawer through registering holes in the several cards.In order to release and permit the ready removal of the cards from thedrawer when necessary, the rod, in some constructions, is removablysecured in the drawer so that the rod can be pulled lengthwise out ofthe holes in the cards. In these devices as ordinarily constructed,however, the rod is provided with a'locking or securing means of somesort, whereby the rod can be locked in place in the drawer or holder toprevent the unauthorized removal of the cards, the rod being removableto release the cards only by the use of a rodreleasing key or device. Asheretofore ordinarily constructed, these lock rods require either a fiatkey or a key made with tongues, necessitating either a very thin pieceof metal for the key so that it will be difficult to pick or release therod lock, or else a key which must be accurately placed and manipulatedin order to release the rod lock such keys or releasing devices thusbeing easily broken or damaged so as to prevent the operation of the rodlooks or making them difficult of operation.

The objects of my present invention are to produce a practical anddesirable locking means for the card locking rods of card index drawersand the like,of such construction that the locking rod can be quicklyand easily placed and locked in position in the drawer, but cannot beremoved or moved to release the cards except by the use of the key,which key, however, is of simple and strong construction, and can bereadily operated to release and remove the locking rods; also toproducea practical and desirable locking rod and locking means therefor,which, while being strong and durable, and not liable to get out oforder, nevertheless can be produced at a minimum cost; also to constructthe rod locking means and-key so that a strong, durable key can be used,but which nevertheless are of such construction that the rod cannot bereadily released except by means ofthe particular key; also to providethe rod with a: locking head of circular or symmetrical cross sectionand cooperating locking means, whereby the rod will be Serial No.84,082.

locked when pushed into position in the drawer irrespectlve of theangular position of the rod, so that special care is not required inplacing and securing the rod in position, and to likewise make the keyof tubular or annular cross section so that the key also can be quicklyand easily manipulated to release the rod withoutthe exercise of specialcare to place the key in any particular angularposition; also to formthe key and lock rod so that the key, in addition to serving as the-lock-releasing means for the rod, also constitutes a knob or handle bymeans of which the rod may be withdrawn from the drawer or holder; andalso to improve looking means of the nature indicated in the otherrespects hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

tion is illustrated in connection with a card index drawer of well knowntype. In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a card index drawerprovided with locklng means embodying the invention for the card lockingrod.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, on a reduced scale, of the drawer.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, transverse section thereof on line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4: is a sectional plan view of the rod locking means showing therod locked in place.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the key inserted, and the rod therebyreleased.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the rod unlocked and withdrawn.

A represents the card index drawer which is provided with the usualfollower B slidably engaging a guide in the bottom of the L drawer topermit the follower to be moved longitudlnally of the drawer and securedin different positions by means of the follower clamp G, for clampingand freeing the cards X which stand on edge in the drawer between thefollower and the front end of the drawer. These parts may be of anyusual or suitable construction.

D represents the card locking rod which, as usual, extends lengthwise ofthe drawer, passing through holes in the front end or wall of the drawerand in the follower B, and also through registering holes in thelowerportions 0f the cards for preventing removal of the cards from thedrawer exloo cept by first withdrawing the rod from the holes in thecards. The locking rod is preferably provided at its front end with anenlargement or head 10, which is of symmetrical shape in cross section,being, as shown, of cylindrical shape. This head is permanently securedto or formed on the rod and has a peripheral shoulder preferably formedby a circumferential, external groove 11 of ii-form, having an abruptinner edge forming the shoulder 12, perpendicular to the axis of therod, and a forwardly sloping or inclined bottom. On the front end orwall of the drawer, preferably at opposite sides of the hole 13 therein,through which the locking rod passes and in which the head is locatedwhen the rod is in position, are spring tongues or looking members 1iadapted, when the lock rod is pushed into place in the drawer, to snapinto the circumferential groove 11 in the head of the rod with theirinner ends engaging the inner abrupt edge 12 of the groove, so asthereby to prevent the withdrawal of the locking rod forwardly throughthe hole 13 without first disengaging or lifting the tongues out ofengage ment with the inner edge 12 of the groove. In the preferredconstruction shown in the drawings, the front end of the drawer ishollow, having spaced apart, outer and inner walls, the former composedof two plates 15 and the latter formed by a plate 16 suitably secured inplace, and a thin lock plate 17 is riveted or otherwise fixed on theinner face of the outer wall 15 of the front end, this plate 17 beingstamped or formed to provide the two inwardly projecting and convergingspring tongues 14: disposed at opposite sides of the locking rod D so asto engage in the groove of the locking rod at the opposite sides of therod. The lower end of the inner plate 15 shown, is bent inwardly andthen upwardly, forming a flange 18 through a hole in which the lockingrod passes and against which the head 10 of the rod is adapted to striketo limit the inward movement of the rod. One or more than two of thelocking tongues 14 could be employed, and they could be formed andmounted in other suitable ways. As will be seen from the drawings, thelocking tongues or members are thus located within the hollow front endof the drawer between the outer and inner walls thereof, so that thelocking tongues are housed or enclosed and can not be reached oractuated to release the rod except by means of a key or implementinserted through the hole 13 in the front end of the drawer throughwhich the locking rod passes. Since the head 10 of the locking rod issymmetrical, prefcrably circular in cross section, and the lockinggroove or shoulder completely encircles the head, the locking rod willbe engaged and locked by the tongues no matter to what position the rodmay be turned while being inserted into place, and no special care isrequired to position and lock the rod in place. It is only necessary topush the rod inwardly through the hole 13 as far as it will go. V fhenthe rod is locked in place, the front or outer end of its head ispreferably about flush with the front face of the drawer, and the headdoes not project out far enough to enable it to be gripped for pullingthe rod out except by the use of a special key or implement.

20 represents the key or device for releasing and removing the lockingrod. This key has a hollow cylindrical or tubular inner end adapted tobe inserted into the hole 13 in the front end of the drawer over thehead 10, of the looking rod. The tubular portion of the key has asliding fit on the cylindrical head 10, and by pushing the key inwardlyover the head, the inner end of the key will engage the spring tongues14 and lift the same out of engagement with the groove in the head ofthe rod. In thus pushing the key into place, the inner end of the key ismoved inwardly beyond the abrupt inner edge or shoulder 12 of the groove11 in the rod, so that the walls of the key bridge the groove, and theends of the spring tongues which then bear on the outer surface of thekey are prevented from again entering the groove when the rod is pulledforwardly with the key out of the hole 13. Preferably the inner end ofthe key is bevelled so as to more easily release the spring tongues, andthe tubular portion of the key is also preferably slit longitudinally,as shown, and made of such internal diameter that when the key is pushedinto place over the head 10 of the rod, it will frictionally grip thehead so that the rod can be pulled forwardly by means of the keyuntilits head 10 is freed from engage ment with the spring tongues.Thus, the key serves both as the device for releasing the locking rodfrom its locking tongue, and also as a handle or implement for pullingthe rod out through the hole 13. Since the key is tubular and of thesame cross sectional, internal shape as the head 10, the key willoperate the same no matter to what position it maybe turned with respectto the rod, and care is not necessary to turn the key to any particularposition to release the rod. The lrey'could be made tubular throughout,but preferably, for the sake of strength, its outer end is made solidand is provided with a transverse hole for convenience in carrying on aring or for tagging. The outer end portion of the key isalso shown asknurled or roughened so that it may be better gripped.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a holder for cards iiiu or the like, of alocking rod passing through a hole in a wall of said holder and adaptedto engage the cards for locking them in the holder, said rod havingadjacent its outer end a peripheral shoulder, a locking member on theholder adapted to engage said shoulder to lock the rod in place in theholder, and a key having a sleeve portion adapted to be inserted intosaid hole around the outer end of said rod over said shoulder andbetween said rod and said locking memher to release said locking memberfrom the rod and permit the rod to be withdrawn through said hole, saidsleeve portion of said key being adapted'to pass over and obstruct saidshoulder to prevent the reengagement of said locking member therewith.

2. The combination with a holder for cards or the like, of a locking rodpassing through a hole in one end of said holder and adapted to engagethe cards for locking them in the holder, said rod having adjacent itsouter end a peripheral shoulder, a locking member on the holder adaptedto spring into engagement with said shoulder to lock the rod in place inthe holder, and a key having a sleeve portion adapted to be insertedinto said hole over the outer end of said rod to engage and release saidlocking member from the rod, said key being adapted to grip said rodwhereby the rod can be pulled out of the hole by means of said key.

3. The combination with a holder for cards or the like, of a locking rodpassing through a hole in one end of said holder and adapted to engagethe cards for locking themin the holder, said rod having adjacent itsouter end a peripheral groove, a locking member on the holder adapted toengage in said groove to lock the rod in place in the holder, and a keyhaving a longitudinal, open ended sleeve portion, said key being adaptedto be inserted endwise into said hole with said sleeve portion passingover the outer end of said rod and inwardly beyond said groove, wherebythe wall of said sleeve will release said locking member from the grooveduring said endwise movement and permit the rod to be withdrawn throughsaid hole.

4:. The combination with a holder for cards or the like, of a lockingrod passing through a hole in a wall of said holder and adapted toengage the cards for locking them in the holder, said rod having at itsouter end a cylindrical head provided with a peripheral groove, a springtongue secured to said holder and adapted to snapinto said groove tolock the rod in place in the holder, and a key having a hollowcylindrical portion adapted to be inserted into said hole over the headof the rod and betweentherod and said spring tongue to release saidspring tongue from said groove and permit the rod to be withdrawnthrough said hole.

5. The combination with a holder for cards or the like, of a locking rodpassing through a hole in a wall of said holder and adapted to engagethe cards 'for locking them in the holder, said rod having at its outerend a cylindrical head provided with a peripheral groove, a springtongue secured to said holder and adapted to snap into said groove tolock the rod in place in the holder, and a key having a split tubularportion adapted to be inserted into said hole over the head of the rodand engage and release said spring tongue from said groove, said keybeing held in frictional engagement with the head of said rod wherebythe rod is adapted to be withdrawn through the hole by means of saidkey.

6. The combination with a holder for cards or the like, of a locking rodpassing through a hole in a wall of said holder and adapted to engagethe cards for locking them in the holder, said rod having an outer endportion of circular cross section provided with a circumferentialshoulder, a locking member on the holder comprising an inwardly directedspring tongue extending substantially lengthwise of said rod and havinga free end 7 adapted to engage said shoulder on the rod to lock the rodin place in the holder, and a key adapted to be inserted through saidhole over the front end of said rod to disengage said spring tongue fromthe shoulder on the rod and obstruct said shoulder to prevent thereengagement of said tongue therewith and permit the rod to be withdrawnthrough said ole.

7. The combination with a holder for cards or the like, of a locking rodpassing through a hole in a wall of said holder and adapted to engagethe cards for locking them in the holder, said rod having anJ outer endportion of circular cross section provided with a cir cumferentialgroove, a locking member on said holder which extends inwardly andsubstantially lengthwise of said rod and has an end portion arranged toenter said groove to lock the rod in place in said holder, and a keyadapted to be inserted into said hole around the end of the rod todisengage said locking member from the groove in said rod and cover saidgroove to prevent the reentry of said locking member into said grooveand permit the withdrawal of the rod through said hole.

ERICK SAMPSON, SR.

